Liverpool concluded their Champions League group stage campaign on a mixed note, finishing atop their group despite a 3-2 defeat to PSV Eindhoven. The match, played in Eindhoven, saw PSV secure a crucial play-off spot in the knockout rounds. The result marks the end of Liverpool's flawless run in this season's Champions League, setting up potential clashes with PSG, Benfica, Monaco, or Brest in the last 16. The upcoming draw will reveal Liverpool's opponent for the knockout stage.
The game against PSV witnessed significant squad rotation from Liverpool, with nine changes made by manager Jurgen Klopp. Key players such as Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were rested. Nevertheless, Cody Gakpo opened the scoring for Liverpool early in the match through a penalty after Federico Chiesa was fouled by Joey Veerman during a clearance attempt.
PSV quickly responded with an equalizer from Johan Bakayoko, who produced a fine strike to level the score for the Dutch side. Liverpool regained their lead when Harvey Elliott capitalized on a rebound from a saved shot by Chiesa, making it 2-1. However, PSV's resilience shone through as Ismael Saibari brilliantly netted from a tight angle to equalize once more.
Ricardo Pepi then scored from close range to give PSV the lead, effectively turning the tide in favor of the home team. The match took another turn when Amara Nallo, making his senior debut for Liverpool, received a red card just four minutes into his appearance for a last-man foul on Bakayoko. This dismissal further complicated Liverpool's efforts to salvage the match.
"I haven't seen it [the red card] back but I don't think there's a lot to complain about." – Arne Slot
The red card incident was pivotal as it sealed Liverpool's fate in the match. PSV capitalized on the numerical advantage to hold on to their lead and secure victory.
"He was hindering [Wataru Endo] and then Wata got a slight knock. A slight knock is normally not enough for a foul but after being in the way as a referee maybe you can give a free-kick because you can say, 'I haven't had any impact on the game'." – Arne Slot
Despite the defeat, Liverpool's earlier performances ensured they finished at the top of their group. The draw for the round of 16 will determine their next opponent as they aim to progress further in the competition. Matches for the knockout play-off are scheduled for February 11/12 and February 18/19.
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